Singapore, 11 November 2024 – The 8th Roundtable of the ASEAN-India Network of Think-Tanks (AINTT) on 07-08 November 2024 in Singapore, marking the start of a two-day gathering focused on advancing cooperation between ASEAN and India. Organized by the ASEAN Studies Centre (ASC) and the ASEAN India Centre at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), the event brought together thought leaders, scholars, policymakers, and business executives to explore collaborative initiatives in areas such as regional connectivity, green energy transition, digitalization, and cross-border fintech solutions. The roundtable received support from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, delivered the keynote address, discussing the evolving global landscape and underscoring the growing importance of a strong ASEAN-India partnership. In his remarks, he highlighted the need for resilient supply chains, trusted partnerships, and diversified production networks. He emphasized India’s dedication to collaborative connectivity efforts across digital, energy, and infrastructural domains, showcasing India’s commitment to strengthening economic ties within the region.

Dr. Jaishankar also touched on India’s investments in Global Capability Centres, industrial parks, and education and skilling initiatives, which offer new opportunities for enhanced collaboration with ASEAN. He underscored the potential for green hydrogen, ammonia, shipping, and steel as pathways to a sustainable future, aligning with ASEAN’s sustainability goals. Reflecting on four decades of ASEAN-India cooperation, he noted that these shared values and history provide a robust foundation for deepening the partnership.

The roundtable will continue to focus on actionable solutions to advance areas of mutual interest, including digitalization, support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and the international rule of law. As India strengthens its engagement in the Indo-Pacific and Quad, ASEAN’s centrality and unity remain key priorities, Dr. Jaishankar emphasized, setting a collaborative tone for the discussions ahead.

Source: High Commissions of India in Singapore

The GIA Mumbai Acceleration Program, an initiative of EnterpriseSG and powered by Startup Reseau, shows how Singapore-based companies can enter India’s rapidly expanding digital markets, such as supply chain, artificial intelligence, and finance.

Looking for IT business opportunities in India? Your entry into India’s rapidly expanding digital industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, and supply chain, can be accelerated through the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) Mumbai Acceleration Program that is starting on 9th March 2023 which is powered by Startup Réseau.

Participants will be able to gain knowledge about the business climate and opportunities in India from this event, as well as business advice from influential figures in the field like Maersk and HDFC Bank. Attendees will also be able to comprehend how the GIA Program can assist them to generate business leads and facilitate entry into India.

The following two sessions will be held on 9th March 2023:

Session 1 (Fintech)
Time: 2.30 PM to 4 PM SGT

Session 2 (AI and Supply Chain)
Time: 4.30 PM to 6 PM SGT

Visit   for additional details on the program and how to apply.

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The first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the G20 Indian Presidency was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The meeting was co-chaired by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI Governor Dr. Shaktikanta Das

BENGALURU, Karnataka, hosted the first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting as part of the G20 Indian Presidency from February 24–25, 2023. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister, and Dr. Shaktikanta Das, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, jointly presided over this meeting.

The G20 FMCBG meeting was preceded by a meeting of G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) on February 22, 2023, which was co-chaired by Dr. Michael D. Patra, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and Shri Ajay Seth, Secretary (Economic Affairs). 

The G20 FCBD meeting was officially opened by Shri Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.Ìý

The G20 Indian Presidency hosted the first FMCBG meeting, which was attended by invitee members, leaders of international organizations, and the finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 members. The meeting was attended by 72 delegations in total.

The G20 Indian Presidency had designed the meeting agenda in such a way that Ministers and Governors could have a meaningful exchange of ideas on pragmatic and meaningful approaches to addressing some of the world’s most pressing economic issues.Ìý

The meeting was divided into three sessions on February 24 and 25, with topics such as strengthening multilateral development banks to address common global challenges of the twenty-first century, funding for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable “cities of tomorrow,” and leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to promote financial inclusion and productivity gains. Global economic, health, and taxation-related topics were also discussed during the sessions.

The discussions at the G20 FMCBG meeting are intended to provide clear direction for the various G20 Finance Track workstreams in 2023.

In conjunction with these meetings, a number of side events on topics such as Digital Public Infrastructure, Policy Perspectives on Crypto Assets, and the Role of National Payment Systems in Cross Border Payments have been planned for the visiting Ministers, Governors, Deputies, and other delegates.

For the Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, and their delegations, specially curated cultural programs and a Ratri Bhoj Par Samvad will also be organized. These events will highlight the varied cuisines and cultures of India.

During a special event called Walk the Talk: Policy in Action, the Ministers and Governors visited the Indian Institute of Science (IIS) to interact with tech entrepreneurs and innovators who are developing cost-effective and scalable solutions to some of the problems faced by G20 member nations.

To welcome ministers, governors, deputies, and delegates, G20 India organized cultural programs showcasing India’s rich cultural odyssey throughout Karnataka, a land renowned for its deeply rooted cultural and artistic heritage with diverse forms of arts and crafts. The performance will reflect the artistry and splendor of Karnataka’s cultural ethos and legacy.

In order to give the delegates the chance to take in Karnataka’s stunning natural scenery, choices of excursions have been made available for them on February 26.

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On February 21, 2023, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched their collaboration by linking Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). 

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) began their collaboration on February 21, 2023, with the linkage of Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). 

The launch was officiated by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. MAS Managing Director Ravi Menon and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das conducted live cross-border fund transfers from their respective locations in Singapore and India.

The PayNow-UPI connection is the result of extensive collaboration between MAS and RBI, as well as payment system operators, payment scheme owners, and participating banks and non-bank financial institutions from both countries. This is a significant step toward improving cross-border payment infrastructure and supports India’s G20 Presidency priorities to reduce the cost, speed, access, and transparency of cross-border payments.

The PayNow-UPI linkage is the world’s first real-time payment system linkage to employ a scalable cloud-based infrastructure capable of accommodating future increases in remittance traffic volume. It is also the first linkage to include a non-bank financial institution.

Customers of participating financial institutions in Singapore and India will be able to send and receive funds between bank accounts or e-wallets in both countries in real time. They can do so by simply providing their mobile phone number, UPI identity, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA). Customers can use this link to make cross-border fund transfers in a secure, simple, and cost-effective manner.

The service will be made available to DBS Bank and Liquid Group Singapore customers in a phased approach, with these institutions gradually increasing the number of eligible user groups and transaction limits from February 21, 2023, to the end of March 2023. Customers of all participating Indian banks will be able to receive funds through the service right away. At the time of launch, funds could only be sent to customers of four Indian banks, but this will be gradually expanded.

Participating financial institutions have committed to making the service affordable and accessible to all customers, including foreign workers and students in Singapore and India, allowing them to send and receive low-cost cross-border remittances to and from their home countries. The linkage also allows for the automatic incorporation of capital control rules for increased efficiency. The MAS and RBI will review and gradually scale up the linkage by increasing the number of participating financial institutions and applicable use cases. 

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Enterprise Singapore sent 21 local companies and 58 business delegates to the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow, resulting in the signing of six MOUs.

Enterprise Singapore has been in close ties with India in varying scopes of partnerships since the “Make in India” initiative was introduced in 2014 by the Indian Government as one of the other ways paved to establish a business-friendly ecosystem in India. These fruitful collaborations will be further deepened through Enterprise Singapore’s visit to the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023 in Lucknow with 21 local companies and 58 business delegates. 

In addition to attending the summit, the companies and delegates also visited the Smart City Command Control Center to gain knowledge and dig into further prospective partnerships. As an outcome of the event, Enterprise Singapore and the Uttar Pradesh government successfully signed six memoranda of understanding with the main focus on advancing infrastructure setup, waste management, and logistics. One of the notable MoUs in the scope of infrastructure setup is the cooperation in a pilot project initiating smart water technologies as an alternative to reduce expenses and increase the availability of potable water in Kudha Keshavpur, Ayodhya district. On the part of waste management, Vans Chemistry, an e-waste management service provider, is planning to establish a pre-dismantling and e-waste collection facility in Greater Noida to act as its base of operations in North India. Not to mention, in terms of logistics, Transworld Terminals is seeking to build a versatile storage facility in the same location.

This is a landmark set of partnerships since it is the initial cooperation between Enterprise Singapore and the Uttar Pradesh government. Although the Uttar Pradesh Government is not the traditional partner of Enterprise Singapore, this is a fresh way to start as an extension of the broader cooperation between Singapore and the Indian Government in the business sector.

For further details on the visitation, .

Singaporean visitors who arrive in India after February 13, 11 a.m. won’t need to go through any COVID-related arrival procedures.

The pre-departure COVID test and the upload of a self-health declaration to the “Air Suvidha” portal will no longer be required of Singaporeans who wish to travel to India as of Monday, February 13. 

Due to a “sustained and significant decline in the trajectory of COVID-19 cases” in the last four weeks, India’s Ministry of Health has revised travel guidelines for six countries, including Singapore.

To track infections caused by mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants among international visitors to India, the current practice of random testing of 2% of visitors to India (regardless of country of origin) upon arrival in India will be maintained.

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The first G20 Employment Working Group concluded on a positive note on February 4 in Jodhpur, with all G20 countries expressing interest and commitment to constructively working towards the Indian Presidency’s three priority areas of Addressing Global Skills Gaps, Gig & Platform Economy & Social Protection, and Sustainable Financing of Social Security.

The three-day meeting of the Indian Presidency’s Employment Working Group (EWG) [2-4 February] is led by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, and is tasked with addressing labor, employment, and social issues in order to achieve strong, sustainable, balanced, and job-rich growth for all.

The Employment Working Group meetings began on Thursday with a special event featuring a panel discussion on ‘Exploring Strategies for Global Skills and Qualifications Harmonization and Developing a Framework for Common Skill Taxonomies’.

In the opening session of the second day, Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed all delegates and thanked them for their dedication to the cause of the G20 Employment Working Group in Jodhpur Union.

The Minister stated that the theme of India’s G20 presidency, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” is particularly appropriate as they gather to discuss the interconnectedness of economies and peoples. He describes it as a powerful reminder of their common humanity and the importance of working together to create a better future for all. It also emphasizes the importance of inclusive, sustainable, and equitable solutions to labor and employment challenges, he added. Following the ministerial address by India’s G20 EWG Chair and Secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Ms. Aarti Ahuja, remarks were made by Co-Chairs from Indonesia and Brazil on India’s G20 EWG priorities.

The second session featured presentations and interventions on the priority of ‘Addressing Global Skills Gaps’ from countries and IOs (International Organizations). International organizations such as the ILO and the OECD have highlighted various types of skill and qualification gaps in the labor market.

Following this was a presentation by Mr. Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in which he discussed various skill and development initiatives and activities being carried out in India that have been proposed by business and government organizations in order to meet the objectives. The session’s open discussion gave the participating nations a forum to exchange experiences regarding some of the conditions and legal framework that currently exist for skill development in each of their home nations.

The third session focused on the priority issues of Gig and Platform Economy and Social Protection. It started with a detailed technical presentation by the ILO, OECD, and ISSA, followed by a presentation by the Niti Aayog, the Government of India’s premier think tank. Session 4 and 5 focused on the ‘gig and platform economy’ debate in the global and Indian contexts. The intervening countries gave detailed presentations on existing gig and platform economy frameworks and shared their experiences addressing worker concerns in this sector.

Opening remarks were made to begin the third day of the meeting by the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour & Employment and Chair of the G20 EWG. During the day’s sessions, the topic of ‘Sustainable Financing of Social Security’ was discussed. The ILO, OECD, and ISSA all highlighted current and emerging challenges in social protection. They also focused on the overall goal and the various structures available for long-term financing. The World Bank’s presentation emphasized the importance of universal social protection. The Employees Provident Fund Organization, Ministry of Labour and Employment, delivered an informative presentation on initiatives and schemes being implemented by the Government of India to improve and strengthen social security. This was followed by country-wise interventions and open discussion where participating countries detailed the existing conditions and legal framework for providing social security in their respective countries.

Short yoga breaks were also interspersed throughout these two-day sessions.

The sessions concluded with encouraging remarks from EWG Co-Chairs Indonesia and Brazil. In her closing remarks, Ms. Arti Ahuja, the chair of the EWG and secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, thanked all the G20 delegates and participants, as well as international organizations, for their participation and engagement in the discussions.

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On February 3–4, 2023, the Indian High Commission in Singapore will host “A SLICE OF PARADISE IN SINGAPORE: CELEBRATING KASHMIR@75” as part of the #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav events.

A SLICE OF PARADISE: CELEBRATING KASHMIR@75 will be held as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav events on February 3-4, 2023 at the High Commission of India in Singapore building.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is a government-sponsored celebration and memorial for India’s 75th anniversary of independence as well as the illustrious past of its people, culture, and accomplishments.

Mahotsav is dedicated to the people of India who have not only contributed to the advancement of India along its evolutionary path, but who also possess the strength and capacity to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s vision of bringing about India 2.0, powered by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

This event aims to introduce Singaporeans and the Indian diaspora to Kashmiri arts and culture. The audience will have the chance to learn about Kashmiri calligraphy and papier-mâché, enjoy Kashmiri music, and sample Kashmiri cuisine.

You can also enjoy a Kashmiri photo exhibition, watch a live demonstration of Kashmiri art, take pictures while wearing Kashmiri clothing, and many more! The event will take place on February 3-4 from 1 PM to 7 PM. Don’t miss it!

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav announced that G20’s first employment working group meeting will be held in Jodhpur on February 2-4, 2023.

The prestigious G20 summit, the most important platform for global economic cooperation, is being held in India this year. Given that the G20 countries account for about two-thirds of the world’s population, 3/4 of the world’s trade, and close to 85% of the world’s GDP, this event is significant. Shri Yadav explained the events, saying, “The Employment Working Group under the Indian presidency of G20 has a mandate to address priority labor, employment, and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced, and job-rich growth for all.”

The meetings will take place as follows

• 1st EWG Meet Jodhpur, 2nd – 4th Feb ‘23
• 2nd EWG Guwahati 3rd – 5th Apr ’23
• 3rd EWG Geneva 1rd – 2nd Jun ’23
• 4th EWG Indore 19th – 20th July ‘23

The three thematic areas on which the deliberations will take place will be

• Addressing Global Skill Gaps
• Gig and Platform Economy and Social Protection &
• Sustainable Financing for Social Security
• The expected outcomes of the deliberations would include an international skill gap mapping portal for assessment of skill demand, a framework for skills and qualifications harmonization with common taxonomies.

The following areas must be prioritized based on available financial resources in order to provide social protection to gig and platform workers: improved national statistical capabilities to track gig and platform work and facilitate effective data collection; policy options for long-term social security and pension financing based on social insurance and taxation; and policy recommendations on welfare entitlements.

At the G20, India is hosting more than 70 delegates from 19 countries, including the European Union, as well as 9 guest nations and 9 regional and international organizations. On the first day, in addition to the key discussions, a panel discussion on Global Skills and Qualifications Harmonization, Frameworks for Common Skill Taxonomies will be organized on the sidelines. International organizations such as the ILO, OECD, and ISA, as well as Indian institutions such as NITI Aayog, MSDE, and EPFO, will provide their perspectives on the issues. Members of the G20 are also being invited to contribute to the discussion.

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